Author Notes:Dizengoff is a hummusiya in Philadelphia and they have the most amazing, creamy, nutty, delicious hummus ever. Seriously, it's so good and I'm so passionate about it that I want to tell Sabra to just quit and go away forever.

Anyway, I don't live in Philly so when a hummus craving stuck, I couldn't just resort to buying premade hummus or even making hummus with canned chickpeas so I went all out and made this version, including my version of sticky harif that I enjoyed at the eatery. —Rach Kim

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Serves 4

Hummus

1
cup dried chickpeas

1
tablespoon baking soda

5
cloves garlic, unpeeled

1/4
cup tahini (I use homemade - bit.ly/tehina)

2 to 3
tablespoons lemon juice (from one juicy lemon)

1/2
teaspoon roasted ground cumin

1/2
teaspoon salt + more to taste, if necessary

1/4
cup olive oil (the good kind) + more for drizzling

1
teaspoon olive oil

1/2
teaspoon paprika + more for garnish

1
tablespoon chopped parsley

Spicy Harif & Accoutrements

1
small onion, roughly chopped

2
cloves garlic, smashed

1
tablespoon olive oil

2
tablespoons lemon juice

1
dried chipotle chili

1/4
cup olive oil

1
tablespoon lemon juice

1
teaspoon ancho chili powder

1
teaspoon salt

1
tablespoon golden syrup or maple syrup

flatbread pita (I like homemade bit.ly/flatpita)

cucumber & red onion salad

cornichons

THE HUMMUS: A day ahead, soak the chickpeas with baking soda in a generous amount of water. The chickpeas should soak for 24 hours ideally, but for a minimum of 12.

Drain the chickpeas and rinse under cold water and add to a pot with the garlic. Add enough water to cover the chickpeas and place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender. Stir occasionally to promote even cooking. Drain the chickpeas, set aside the garlic cloves, and reserve the cooking water. Set aside 1/4 cup of chickpeas for garnish.

Peel the skins off of the garlic cloves and add to a food processor with the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt, 1/4 cup of olive oil, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid. Pulse until smooth. Add more of the reserved cooking liquid if necessary to achieve the desired texture and add salt to taste.

Heat up a small pan over medium heat with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add in the 1/4 cup of reserved chickpeas and paprika. Shake the pan to coat the beans in fat and seasoning. Pan fry until lightly toasted.

HARIF: In a foil-lined sheet pan, toss together the onions and garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Roast in a high broiler for 15 to 20 minutes until edges are charred.

Soak the dried chipotle pepper in hot water for 10 minutes until soft and then drain.

TO SERVE: In a wide, shallow bowl, add in the hummus and press with a smooth to create an even layer across the surface of the bowl. Drizzle the hummus with fruity olive oil and garnish with a sprinkle of paprika, chopped parsley, and the toasted chickpeas. Serve with warm and fluffy flatbread pita, cucumber and red onion salad*, and cornichons. Encourage everyone to tear off bits of pita, swirl it in the hummus, and top with the harif and salad.

*The cucumber and red onion salad is simply diced and seeded cucumber and diced red onion mixed with a squeeze of lemon juice and left to pickle for a few minutes.

The hummus and harif can certainly be made ahead of time and stored in airtight containers in the fridge. The hummus is best served warm and the harif best served at room temperature.

I served my hummus with some stewed cumin chicken for added protein (which is shown in the photos). Not totally necessary, but delicious.